encroachment
AmericanOther Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of encroachment
1425–75; late Middle English encrochement < Anglo-French. See encroach, -ment
Explanation
An encroachment is something that intrudes and has the power to influence whatever it encounters. Some might consider text messaging to be an encroachment of impersonal technology on true, heartfelt interactions. Encroachment carries the sense of something slowly creeping into something else's space, either literally or figuratively. An encroachment can be of the physical variety, such as the encroachment of new development into a beautiful coastal area. Encroachment typically has a slightly a negative meaning, hinting at something that intrudes on something and then spoils it in some way.
Vocabulary lists containing encroachment
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Federalist Papers, No. 51 by James Madison
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The new technology was all the more vital given the frequency with which viruses are now emerging due to population growth, greater movement across borders and human encroachment on animal habitats, he said.
From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026
And yet, the encroachment on academic freedom has become both more extreme and more inchoate.
From Salon • Jun. 20, 2026
If the former Beatle does join them backstage, he may find that the encroachment of age has altered their pre-show rituals.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
The advisers brainstormed an approach that would take a harder line on China’s encroachment on American technology.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
They were responding to Sitting Bull’s message to gather and talk about the encroachment of the white people.
From "In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse" by Joseph Marshall III
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
